AFP, New York :
Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn shrugged off blustery conditions to power to victory in a world-leading 12.67sec at the USA Track and Field Bermuda Games meeting on Saturday.
Puerto Rico’s Camacho-Quinn, who upset world record holder Keni Harrison to win gold at the Olympics in Tokyo last year, surged clear of the field for a decisive win at Bermuda’s National Sports Centre.
Running into a strong headwind, the 26-year-old US-born hurdler took first ahead of American duo Chanel Brissett in 13.06sec and Christina Clemons, who was third in 13.15.
The strong winds swirling around the venue were enough to deter the United States’ 110m hurdles king Grant Holloway.
Holloway, the reigning outdoor world champion who added the 60m indoor hurdles crown at last month’s world championships in Belgrade, scratched from Saturday’s 110m hurdles event citing the high winds.
“The wind is out of control, and I don’t think that’s great for the hurdle events,” Holloway said.
“I’m trying to concentrate on consistency so I decided to pull out of this race.”
In other meet action on Saturday, Canada’s Jerome Blake upstaged US sprint star Noah Lyles and teenage talent Erriyon Knighton with a surprise victory in the 100m.
Blake muscled over the line to win in 10.38sec, ahead of Knighton who took second in 10.39 in a photo finish with world 200m champion Lyles in third.
In the women’s 100m final, which also took place in a strong headwind, the USA’s Teahna Daniels won in 11.45sec, beating out the challenge of compatriot Gabby Thomas (11.49) and Javianne Oliver (11.62).
